Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 8 Granny Smith apples, about 9 cups sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- juice of ½ lemon
Butter Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold butter, diced
- ½ cup ice water
Toffee Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Assemble the Toffee Apple Pie
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Vanilla Custard Sauce
- 2 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prepare Apple Filling: Peel and slice the apples. Heat butter in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened but still hold their shape. Transfer to a wide dish, spread thinly to cool quickly, then refrigerate.
- Make Butter Pie Crust: In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold, diced butter and pulse until butter resembles small peas. Gradually add ice water while pulsing until dough clumps together and sticks when squeezed. Form dough into a ball, split into two discs (one larger), wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Make Toffee Sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whisk. Add heavy cream and whisk until emulsified. Bring to a boil, cook 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat and cool before using.
- Assemble Pie: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a pie plate. Roll out larger dough disc on floured surface into a circle about 2 inches wider than the pie plate. Fold in half and place in pie plate, unfolding and allowing excess to hang over edges. Mix cornstarch into apple filling. Spoon half the apples into crust and drizzle half the toffee sauce over. Repeat with remaining apples and sauce.
- Create Top Crust: Roll out smaller dough disc into a circle slightly larger than the pie plate. Brush edges of bottom crust with egg wash (whisk egg and water). For a whole top, place dough over pie cutting steam slits. For lattice, cut dough into ten ¾” strips. Weave strips over the filling into a lattice pattern. Trim excess dough and crimp edges. Brush lattice and edges with egg wash.
- Bake Pie: Place pie on a baking sheet (to catch spills) and bake for 50-60 minutes until filling bubbles and crust is golden and cooked through. Cool before slicing.
- Prepare Vanilla Custard Sauce: In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until lighter in color. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium until just before boiling. Gradually temper hot milk into yolk mixture by adding small amounts while whisking. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until just boiling. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla, whisk well. Strain custard through fine mesh into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap on surface and cool completely, refrigerate.
- Serve: Pour chilled vanilla custard sauce over slices of the Toffee Apple Pie and enjoy.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for a tart flavor that balances the sweetness of the toffee sauce.
- Ensure apples are cooked just until tender to maintain texture in the pie.
- Chilling the pie dough discs helps prevent shrinking and keeps the crust flaky.
- Tempering the egg yolk mixture with hot milk prevents curdling in the custard sauce.
- If the lattice crust is difficult, a whole top crust works well—just be sure to cut slits for steam.
- Baking on a sheet pan catches spills and makes cleanup easier.
- Let the pie cool to set the filling and prevent it from running when sliced.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
